The Banshee

Fae women whose shrieks of lament foretold the death of a family member.

Roaming through the countryside, combing her hair in anguish and heralding death, the banshee is one of Ireland's most well-known -and of my favorite- figures in mythology. This post came about because I wanted to explore their history and folklore.

While descriptions of banshees differ from region to reion, I feel more towards the image of the being with eyes-red-from-perpetual-crying, the face of a virgin who died prematurely, and long, black, silky hair.

It is important to note that these fae women are often depicted as keeners-women, usually paid in ale, who would cry and mourn the dead for any family that could afford it. Although the practice was largely suppressed by the Catholic Church, it was once a significant part of funerals in Ireland, with some keeners even becoming sought after by royalty (!).

So, drunken and exceptional at wailing, it's not hard to imagine how these keeners could become associated with the banshee.

In the end, what I love most about the banshee is that they are not aggressive, yet still possess all the charm and fright of something truly dark.

Story

In 1801 a Banshee paid a visit to the Commander in Chief of the British forces in Ireland. He had attended a party at Dublin Castle and invited a few guests back to his home afterwards. These guests, Sir Jonah Barrington and his wife, woke up at 2.30am to what he described as 'plaintive sounds' coming from outside his window. His wife and a maid were also awoken by it, and the sound later turned into his name being screeched three times. The next morning, they were told that a servant, having heard odd sounds from Rossmore's room at 2.30am, entered to find him dying.